Author:Adonis,Kareem James Abu-Zeid,Ivan Eubanks
'The greatest living poet of the Arab world' Guardian
Cloud, mirror, stone, thunder, eyelid, desert, sea. Through a dead or dying land, Mihyar walks: a figure of heroic individualism and dissent, part-Orpheus, part-Zarathustra. Where he goes, the austere building-blocks of his world become the expressions of passionate emotion, of visionary exaltation and despairing melancholy. The traditions of the Ancient Greeks, the Bible and the Quran flow about and through him.
Written in the cosmopolitan Beirut of the early 1960s, Adonis's Songs of Mihyar the Damascene did for Arabic poetry what The Waste Land did for English. These are poems against authoritarianism and dogma, in which a new Noah would abandon his ark to dive with the condemned, and in which surrealism and Sufi mysticism meet and intertwine. The result is a masterpiece of world literature.
Translated by Kareem James Abu Zeid and Ivan Eubanks
'The most eloquent spokesman and explorer of Arabic modernity' Edward Said
One of the most influential spiritual leaders of our times
—— OprahThich Nhat Hanh's empowering voice and example will be valuable to those seeking wisdom in a frenetic, threatened world
—— Publishers WeeklyAbsolutely incredible - lasting happiness in a changing world.
—— Gaby RoslinI read the most amazing book last year called The Book of Joy. It’s the most wonderful book of two old men, with beautiful photographs of them laughing together, just talking about stories about humans and how they’ve been uplifted in their life. It really is the book of Joy. I’d just have to take that [to the desert island] because it would make me smile all the time.
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—— Gabby Bernstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Universe Has Your BackHeartbreaking ... a breathtaking narrative
—— Publishers Weekly (starred review)With hilarity and courage, Bowler tells the story of being diagnosed with stage-four cancer at thirty-five, forcing her to re-examine the way she (and we) live our lives. This is a brilliant examination of what happens when everything you assumed is suddenly in question, and you have to substitute love for self-actualisation and hope for certainty.
—— Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk To SomeoneA must-read for anyone whose life has been bifurcated into a before and after. Every page shimmers with wit and wisdom.
—— Suleika Jaouad, author of Between Two KingdomsKate Bowler has paid through the nose to become a writer of uncommon spiritual wisdom, coupled with an amazing sense of humour and a heart full of love. She fills me with hope.
—— Anne LamottKate Bowler is the rare author who can explore difficult subjects with both breathtaking honesty and light-heartedness. From the moment I started this brilliant memoir, I couldn't put it down (and I underlined many passages). Faith, mortality, vocation, parenthood, the World's Largest Ball of String ... Bowler brings profound insight and love to the human experience.
—— Gretchen RubinWise, funny, and gorgeous... a masterpiece
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—— Kirkus ReviewsKate Bowler refuses to jump on the bandwagon of toxic positivity. Instead, she leads us to a truer truth: the work is unfinishable, and so be it. I find my interactions with the mind of Kate Bowler more useful and comforting than most all others combined.
—— Kelly Corrigan, NYT bestselling authorBowler's prose is adept at capturing the dialectic of life's "splendid, ragged edges" showing through. And she's funny, too. This is a gem for cancer patients and their families and for survivors, but really, for anyone who understands the terror and beauty of being human.
—— BooklistBowler's affecting narrative offers fresh insight on life and chronic illness. Readers will be engrossed by this heartfelt memoir.
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—— Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2019*[An] immersive, unusual love tale
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—— Kirkus ReviewsOne of the most eloquent and inspiring memoirs of recent years... A Dutiful Boy is real-life storytelling at its finest
—— Mr Porter, *Summer Reads of 2021*Mohsin Zaidi...in a compassionate, compelling and humorous way, tells his story of seeking acceptance within the gay community, and within the Muslim community in which he grew up
—— Gilllian Carty , Scottish Legal NewsA powerful portrayal of being able to live authentically despite all the odds
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—— The New Arab